Marking System &amp; Method For Use In Concrete Anchors

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides for a marking system for use in concrete anchors, wherein the system is comprised of a setting tool with a rib to contact the anchor. Upon contact, the setting tool and the rib abrade a surface of the anchor and simultaneously create a score mark in order to indicate to the user of the concrete anchor that said anchor has been properly set. The entire anchor can also be pre-dipped into a lubricating substance to further facilitate the setting of the anchor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Canadian Application No. 2,929,995,filed May 16, 2016, the entire disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The invention relates to anchors and, more specifically, to markingsystems to assist in the setting of such concrete anchors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The following figures serve to illustrate various embodiments offeatures of the disclosure. These figures are illustrative and are notintended to be limiting.

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a marking system for use inconcrete anchors in a bore hole according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 1A is the first stage of the anchor setting process as shown inFIG. 1 and according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B is the second stage of the anchor setting process as shown inFIG. 1 and according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1C is the third stage of the anchor setting process as shown inFIG. 1 and according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a lower perspective view of an underside of a collar of thesetting tool shown according to another embodiment of the presentdisclosure; and,

FIG. 2B lower perspective view of an underside of a collar of thesetting tool shown according to yet another embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intendedto be limiting. It will be appreciated that various modifications and/oralterations to the embodiments described herein may be made withoutdeparting from the disclosure and any modifications and/or alterationsare within the scope of the contemplated disclosure.

With reference to FIG. 1 and according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure, a marking system 5 for use in drop-in anchors is shown,having an anchor 10 positioned in a pre-drilled bore hole 15 typicallyfound in cementitious materials 17. The marking system 5 is generallycomprised of an anchor 10 further comprised of a hollow shell 20, whichis terminated in spreading lamellae 25 which serve to spread outwardlyand secure the anchor in the bore hole 15. A bullet 35 is positionedwithin hollow shell 20 of the anchor 10 to set said anchor 10 byspreading the lamellae 25 outwardly during setting. A setting tool 50 isalso provided to drive the bullet 35 downwardly, further comprised acollar 52, at least one pyramidally-shaped rib 54 positioned on a lowersurface of the collar 52, and a tip 56 to contact the bullet 35. Aworker skilled in the art would appreciate that two or more ribs 54could be provided to increase the likelihood that a user of the markingsystem 5 would see the score mark (not shown) created on the anchor 10and further facilitate the setting of the anchor 10, or of a fastener orset screw to provide the same functionality. In this embodiment, the rib54 could be machined into the collar 52 of the setting tool 50 but couldalso be brazed thereon and be comprised of carbide. In this particularembodiment, the upper surface 60 of the shell 20 is comprised of anabradable coating, which is abraded when the upper surface 60 of theanchor 10 and the collar 52 of the setting tool 50 repeatedly contactone another when driving the bullet 35 downwardly to set the anchor 10.A worker skilled in the art would also appreciate that the rib 54 couldbe constructed of carbide and soldered thereon, or the rib 54 would bemachined together with the setting tool 50 as one piece. Duringoperation, when the collar 52 and the rib 54 of the setting tool 50contact an upper surface 60 of the anchor 10, the rib 54 will dent theupper surface 60 and create a score mark (not shown) thereon, acting asa first visual indicator that the anchor 10 has been set. As wasexplained above, the abradable coating on the upper surface 60 of theanchor 10 will also become abraded, which will serve as a second visualindicator that the anchor 10 has been set. The operation of the markingsystem 5 is further described below. A worker skilled in the art wouldappreciate that in one embodiment, the abradable coating could be paint.

With reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C and according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure, the marking system 5 is shown in three stages ofsetting the anchor 10. The first stage specifically shown in FIG. 1Ashows the alignment between the tip 56 of the setting tool 50 and anopening 61 of the anchor 10. Meanwhile, the collar 52 and rib 54positioned on the collar 52 of the setting tool 50 are aligned with theupper surface 60 of the anchor 10. With specific reference to FIG. 1Band according to a second stage of setting the anchor 10, the collar 52is flush with the upper surface 60 of the anchor 10, and the rib 54 hascreated a score mark (not shown) on the upper surface 60. With specificreference to FIG. 1C and according to a third stage of setting theanchor 10, score mark 65 is shown having been created on the uppersurface 60 of the anchor 10. The score mark 65 is obviously aligned withthe rib 54. A worker skilled in the art of such anchors would appreciatethat the three stages must be done sequentially in order for the anchor10 to set properly, and for the score mark 65 to be most visible to aninstaller of the anchor 10. A worker skilled in the art would alsoappreciate that in the case of a manual installation without a drill, ahand setting tool could be used and would require a worker to strike theanchor a few less times and still provide the advantages as describedabove.

With further reference to FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B and 1C, in order to set theanchor 10, the steps are: positioning the anchor shell 20 furthercomprised of an abradable upper surface 60 and a bullet 35 within a borehole 15, striking the anchor 10 and bullet 35 with a setting tool 50further comprised of a rib 54, wherein the striking of the anchor 10will create a score mark 65 on the upper surface 60 of the anchor 10 toprovide visual confirmation that the anchor 10 has been set.

With reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B and according to another embodiment ofthe present disclosure, either one rib 54 or two ribs 54 are shown,positioned on an underside 70 of the collar 52. The underside 70 of thecollar 52 is further comprised of a stepped male portion 75, whichserves to mate with an annular female recession (not shown) of the uppersurface (not shown) of the anchor (not shown). During the downwarddriving of the anchor 10, the stepped make portion 75 mates with theannular female recession (not shown) while the rib 54 contacts andcreates a score mark (not shown) on the upper surface (not shown) of theanchor (not shown). A worker skilled in the art would appreciate thatthis male-female relationship is known in the art, although in thisembodiment the upper surface (not shown) of the anchor (not shown)including the annular female recession (not shown) are comprised of anabradable coating as detailed above.

A worker skilled in the art would also appreciate that in anotherembodiment of the present disclosure, the entire anchor 10 comprised ofthe bullet 35 therein could be dipped, submerged or coated in alubricating substance, or just the bullet 35 alone. Preferably, thelubricating substance is molybdenum disulfide or graphite which are drylubricants ideal for this purpose, or another similar lubricant known inthe art. In another embodiment, the lubricating substance could be pastesuch as grease in order to save on costs while still providing theadvantage of an easier setting of the anchor 10 by the bullet 35 slidingdownwardly therein. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure,a worker skilled in the art would appreciate that a lubricating member(not shown) could be positioned within the anchor shell 20, above orbelow the bullet 35. In such an embodiment, downwardly driving of thebullet 35 would engender a corresponding compression of the lubricatingmember (not shown) which would lubricate the bullet 35 and the inside ofthe anchor 10 to facilitate the setting of the anchor 10.

Many modifications of the embodiments described herein as well as otherembodiments may be evident to a person skilled in the art having thebenefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description andassociated drawings. It is understood that these modifications andadditional embodiments are captured within the scope of the contemplatedinvention which is not to be limited to the specific embodimentdisclosed.

1. A marking system for use in drop-in anchors comprising: (a) an anchorfurther comprised of an upper surface and spreading lamellae; (b) abullet positioned in the anchor to set the anchor; (c) a setting tool todrive the bullet downwardly further comprised of: (i) a collar; and,(ii) a rib positioned on the collar; wherein the collar and rib of thesetting tool contact the upper surface of the anchor to create a scoremark on the upper surface which provides a visual indicator that theanchor has been set.
 2. The marking system of claim 1 wherein the collaris further comprised of at least two ribs.
 3. The marking system ofclaim 1 wherein the upper surface of the anchor is further comprised ofan abradable coating, the abradable coating serving as a second visualindicator that the anchor has been set.
 4. The marking system of claim 3wherein the abradable coating is paint.
 5. The marking system of claim 1wherein the rib is pyramidally-shaped.
 6. The marking system of claim 1wherein the anchor and bullet have been coated with a lubricatingsubstance.
 7. The marking system of claim 1 wherein the collar isfurther comprised of a fastener and set screw.
 8. The marking system ofclaim 1 wherein the rib is a brazed carbide on the collar.
 9. A methodof setting an anchor, the steps comprising: (a) positioning an anchorshell further comprised of an abradable upper surface and a bulletwithin a bore hole; (b) striking the anchor and bullet with a settingtool further comprised of a rib; wherein the striking of the anchor willcreate a score mark on the upper surface of the anchor to provide visualconfirmation that the anchor has been set.